In many database systems, workloads doing multiple data inserts via parallel tasks can run into contention while looking for space, resulting in deteriorating performance. Typically, this involves insert transactions interrogating shared control information that provides an indication as to where there is space to accommodate insertions, with the control information being updated during the course of insertion to reflect the consumption of space. One drawback to this approach is that parallel tasks see the same control information and race for the same space, with one task winning the race and modifying the control information, and the rest of the tasks racing for other available space, yet again based on commonly viewed control information. Other drawbacks, include contention during updates of the control information.